The Fallen Acolyte
by Nykolo
Summary: Sheila Zeran, a Miraluka who spent her entire life in a neimoidian battle station, is about to finish her trials into the famed organization known as the Dark Acolytes. An expert in Ataru, but she incorporating the form of Makashi to honor her master, and paternal father, Count Dooku. Little does she know, that many challenges, far difficult then she expected, lay in her future.


_Life in a space station is lonely. The only company you have are droids and holograms. It is a secret life, especially on a Separatist station over-looking your ancestral homeworld. The neimoidians are all so arrogant, and the battle droids have no emotions or personality. I had to hack into a B1 droid just so I could have a decent conversation. However, the droid was stripped of its software, and reverted back to its normal, emotionless state of mind. It still pains me to watch it like that, the only friend I ever had. Maybe I should send a request for that one, and keep it for myself, if it were not for their greediness._

_ I got a message from my master, Count Dooku. He will be arriving to finish my apprenticeship and have me at his side as one of the Dark Acolytes. Finally I get to show my powers to my fellow assassins and fight on the battlefield by my master's side, instead of being holed up in this station. Though, I will miss the company of Alpheridies. Wondering what my ancestors have done on the planet before the migration. Soon I will return to my people as a hero, and bring them peace._

_ I always see the other Acolytes imply anger to their training, especially Ventress. Something I honestly do not know why. I can already choke my enemies with the Force, cast lightning, and lift anything with telekinesis, without the need for much anger. Of course, I am Miraluka, I am naturally Force-sensitive and, despite my blindness, I can still see the Force in nearby living beings. I know that calmness is not the way of the Sith; as they apply hatred and anger in their training, but I am starting to wonder why I even follow Bogan. Maybe I'm not meant for this, maybe I'm meant for something more. Perhaps Master Tyrannus can help, I never see him show much anger in his practice._

_-Sheila Zeran, 28 Selona_

From outside her window, the young Miraluka saw her master fly by. She knew he was in his solar sailor, since he was the only life-form in the translucent ship that she could see. She fumbled through her room, overjoyed to finally finish her apprenticeship, and finally join the Dark Acolytes. Ever since she was a child, she has lived in the neimoidian battleship, and has always dreamed of becoming an Acolyte and take her place by Lord Tyrannus in the Clone Wars. She donned her training gear and black blindfold, force-pulled her lightsaber, and ran out her door to the docking bay.

Elevators were too slow, but she knew every nook and cranny of her interstellar home. She ran to the wall, where laid an air duct leading to the lower level. She opened the duct and slid down to the bottom. Her feet collided with the ceiling vent and crashed down to the floor, rolling with the momentum. She dusted herself off, and continued running to her destination.

Many neimoidians cursed at the overexcited, near-human darksider as she sprinted as fast as she could, but the cook seemed more excited than most. "Hello, care for my new womp rat stew?"

"I'm sorry Hohn," she shouted, while running. "But my master has just arrived. Soon I will become part of the Acolytes!"

Hohn let out a short groan, and walked back to the kitchen whistling.

A passing cleaner droid rolled right into the apprentice's path, tripping her in the process. A little mad at the cleaner, she pushed it all the way to the other end of the corridor, picked herself up, and continued her burst of speed.

She saw the translucent wall of battle droids march across the crossed corridor, blocking her way, as the blast doors to the docks was right on the other side of the wall of moving metal. She gathered the Force under her feet and jumped, propelling herself over the marching army and landing with another roll. Finally, she pulled open the blast doors.

Count Dooku was just walking out of his ship. Just in time, she stopped in front of the ramp, with her head bowed. "You're timing is impeccable, master."

Dooku chuckled "As are yours, Sheila Zeran." He pat her head, then walked by. Sheila shortly raised her head and followed him. Trying desperately not to mention her final test, and hide her excitement, Sheila clasped her hands behind her back, twirling her fingers around the hilt of her lightsaber to try to keep her emotions checked.

"Are you excited to join the Dark Acolytes, Ms. Zeran?" Dooku asked. Sheila lifted her head to see Dooku, The Force flashing like a bright light in her master's form.

"Very much so, Master Dooku," the Miraluka was at the verge of bursting out of her boots and jumping in excitement, but she did all she could to prevent that from happening.

In the training room on the ship, Dooku and Sheila stood facing each other, standing on opposite sides.

"Are you ready?" Dooku asked. Sheila lifted her lightsaber handle to her face, ignited it. Then she did the Makashi flourish as an indication.

Dooku smiled with confidence. "And now. You may..."

"Begin!" he threw lightning at Sheila, but the clever near-human women lifted her lightsaber to block the attack. Following, the Miraluka pushed her master, though Dooku countered with a more powerful push, knocking her off her feet. Sheila flipped in mid-air, and landed safely on her feet.

The future Acolyte cast a lightning storm of her own, but Dooku deflected the lightning.

"I see that your powers over the Force have progressed."

"I've had a lot of practice."

Dooku ignited his lightsaber. "What about your swordsmanship?" He swung his blade in the Makashi flourish.

Sheila smiled. She burst into speed, thrusting her blade to the Count. Dooku parried the attack, and countered with a swift cut. She spun, while also spinning her lightsaber across her back to parry.

Like a deadly ballerina, the Miraluka spun around her master with her blade spiraling.

Dooku finally retreated from the tornado of red light. "You have improved indeed!"

"My study with Ataru and Makashi are flawless, are they not?" Sheila smirked.

"Very much so. A very interesting combination." Dooku said, proud of his pupil. He lifted up into the air and levitated above the ring. "Let's see how well you deal with multiple foes."

Lord Tryannus snapped his fingers, and the four doors around the ring opened up. Ten training droids stormed out of the opening, into the ring and surrounding the Miraluka. Half with phrik swords, and the others with blasters set for stun. Sheila quickly adapted to the situation, and changing her form; flipping her lightsaber reversed grip, and pulling her body in tightly.

The blaster droids fired, spreading laser fire towards Sheila, but she anticipated it. She spun her lightsaber in another, one-handed, flourish. Stopping all the fire at her, and deflecting it back at the droids.

The swordsman droids engaged, after the blasters were defeated. Sheila stood in her stance; her, held in her right hand, slanting upwards across her back, and her feet properly spaced, with her left foot forward

One droid charged in, it's sword's blade forward. Sheila spun around, deflecting the blade, and piercing the droid's back.

Two more droids engaged. This time, they stopped to surround the young Miraluka. But Sheila kept her nerve and her stance.

One rushed and raised its sword up for an overhand attack. Sheila blocked, then stepped closer. Her lightsaber running down the sword, until the blade penetrated the droids arm and continued its path down the center of its arm, into the metal chest, slicing it in half.

Without even looking, Sheila tossed her lightsaber to the other droid. The blade piercing it's chest area. She dashed to the droid before it went down, and grabbed the hilt. She pulled it out, and with another of her famous spins, decapitated the droid.  
The battle ended. Dooku descended, clapping his hands. Sheila stood at attention, deactivating her weapon.

"Very good, I do believe that you are ready!" Dooku snapped his fingers. A worker droid rolled in and saluted. "Send in the cargo from my ship."

The droid repeated the salute, and rolled out.

Sheila became curious, what is the cargo that her master spoke of?

"That was an excellent performance," Dooku said. "No doubt the Jedi will find it troublesome when they face you in combat."

Sheila's excitement did not dwindle, in fact it heightened. A gut feeling told her that the cargo was the components she needed to construct her own lightsaber. She was just milliseconds away from screaming in the top of her lungs, and jumping for joy.

Minutes later, more worker droids came in with hundreds of crates, and stacked them all around the training room. Dooku waved his hand, and all the crates opened up, showing thousands among thousands of mechanical accessories. "Choose the required components for you new weapon."

In her head, Sheila was repeating to herself, "Calm yourself, Sheila!" Her fingers were twitching, and her knees were shaking. So much, that she could barely keep her balance as she went back and forth, gathering everything she needed to create her life-long partner. She held them all in an invisible glob of Force energy, although she could still see it with her mastery of Force Sight.

"I shall instruct one of the droids to take them to your room, Sheila," Dooku said.

"No, thank you, Master," Sheila responded. "But I can take them myself."

Dooku smiled. "As you wish."

Sheila started walking to her room, until her master stopped her. "Before you go..." Dooku held up a red crystal. "It would do you well to take this."

Sheila's face reddened, embarrassed for forgetting the very core of a lightsaber. She pulled the crystal from Dooku's hand with her free hand, and bowed before her master. "Thank you, Master."

Dooku bowed back. "I will come back in three months time, and see how well you constructed your weapon."

"Yes, master," Sheila responded. She continued her route to her room.

Dooku stood there in a meditative state; a Miraluka in the Dark Acolytes, should be very interesting indeed. The Jedi will no doubt have complications with his organization of Dark Jedi, with the young women in their ranks.

Sheila threw the lightsaber pieces on her floor, placed the synthetic crystal on her desk, and completely let go of her self-control. She jumped up and down, screaming with joy, at long last she will be a part of the Dart Acolytes. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" she yelled out as she jumped up in the air, moved the components to the nearby desk, and landed spread out on her bed. She grabbed her pillow and squeezed out the all the joy and happiness that she built up.

After exhausting her excitement, she looked to the components on her desk. Remembering that building her lightsaber was part of her final requirement to truly becoming an Acolyte, the Miraluka burst into action, beginning the construction of the weapon she will be with for the rest of her life.

To the diadium power cell, to the focusing lens, Sheila Zeran restlessly constructed her weapon, over the course of two months. She decided for a curved hilt, for her Makashi practice, and add the dual-phase mechanic, seeing it as an advantage to her Ataru practice. She placed the pommel cap to one half of the hilt, and the emitter to the other, and set the crystal chamber down in between each part. Sheila placed the crystal above the chamber, and took a long drawn-out breath.

Before Sheila went into her meditations, her stomach beckoned to her, and she decided it was time to grab a bite to eat. She left her room and made her way to the kitchen.


End file.
